Coin-controlled vending-machine.



BEST AVAlLABLE COPY o. 835,838. PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

M. E. SHAW. 00m CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8.1905.

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N0- 885,838. PgXTENTED NOV. 13, 1906. M. E. SHAW.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEP'LB, 1905.

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Wntnesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN E. SHAW. OF KNOWLESVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AUTO DOOTORCOMPANY, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application fil'ed September 8, 1905. Serial No. 227,593.

To all whom it may calmer-n V I Be it known that I, MELVIN E. SHAW, acitizen of the United States, residing at Knowles- Another feature hasreference to a novel means for automatically closing the coinchute toprevent the deposit of coins when the compartment controlled by saidchute is empty.

Another feature has reference to the novel construction of thecompartments for holding the articles or packages to be vended.

Among the principal objects of the invention are to provide for easilydismounting the machine for repair or replacement, to arrange theejecting mechanism in a single removable frame, and to obviate anychance of a possible purchaser depositing money in a coin-chute when thecompartment controlled thereby is empty.

The invention also relates to certain details of construction, all ofwhich will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is afront elevation of the machine with the cover removed. Fig. 2 is avertical section on line a a, Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are enlargeddetached front and plan views of the portion of the coin-chute at tachedto the rear wall of the inclosing case. Fig. 5 is an enlargedfragmentary section through the machine on line b b, Fig. 1,- theejecting mechanism being shown in its normal position in full lines andin the position for ejecting a package in dotted lines. Fig. 6 is anenlarged detached rear view of a fragment of the ejecting mechanism andits sup ortingframe. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detac ed side elevation ofone of the ejecting-arms. Fig. 8 is an enlarged side view of a fragmentof one of the ejecting arms,, showing a section through the pivotedejecting-block. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detached-plan view of one of .andthe bottom of the slot the coin-operated locking-arms. Fig. 10 is anenlarged fragmentary inside view of the metal plate on the cover,showing the slots through which the coins are introduced and also thepivoted lates for closing said slots. Fig. 11 is an en arged fragmentarysection through the magazine for holding the packages to be vended on orabout line 0 c, Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a transverse section the cover of themachine on line (1 d, Fig. 5, showing a transverse section through theportion of the coin chute devices attached thereto and through thedevices for closing the coin-slots.

In referring to the drawings for the details of construction likenumerals designate like parts. 1

This improved vending-machine comprises an inclosing case, a pluralityof vertical compartments or tubes'm said case forming a.

magazine for holding the articles or packages to be vended, ejectingmechanism arranged in a single removable frame beneath the magazine, anda coin-chutemechanism controlling the ejecting mechanism. 1

The inclosing case consists of a top 1, bottom 2, front wall or cover 3,rear wall 4, and side walls 5. The front wall or cover 3 is removablylocked in place in theremainder of the, inclosing case and is cut out atan intermediate point to provide atransverse opening or slot which isclosed by a metal plate 6. This plate is fastened to ,the outside of thecover 3 by screws and has a series of verticalcoin-receiving slots 7.The cover 3 is also cut away at its lower end to provide an opening orslot 8, which extends nearly throughout the width of the cover andconstitutes. a

passage for the removal of the articles or,

packages which are vended. The rear side 8 are partially inclosed by ametal trough 9 to form a receiving-chamber 10, into which the vend'edarticle is deposited by the ejecting mechan: ism and from which it iseasily withdrawn by the purchaser.

The magazine for holding the commodity to be vended has a series ofseparated compartments which extend vertically and are;

throughall connected and arranged parallel to eachother. The magazine ispreferably formed of sheet metal andhas a rear wall lland a,

series 01 vertical side partitions 12, which are separatedsufficiently-to leave the containingcompartments between them. Eachvertical side partition is constructed with double walls, and flanges 13are formed at the front edges of said partitions to prevent the commodity in the adjacent compartment from lateral displacement. (See Fig.11.) The rear wall 11 of the magazine is cut away at the lower end ofeach compartment, and a metal plate 14 of U shape in cross-section issecured to the bottom of the magazine, as

shown in Fig. 5. The horizontal portion and part ofthe vertical portionsof this plate immediately beneath each compartment arecutaway, leavingtwo inwardly-extending horizontal flanges 1 5, upon which the bottompackage of the commodity to be vended is supported. (See Figs. 1 and11.) The various parts of the magazine are secured together by solderingthe joints or in "any other well-known manner.

The rear wall 4 of the inclosing case is cut away near its lower end,and a piece of thin sheet metal is substituted therefor.

Each coin-chute consists of three parts, the first of which (numbered17) is rigidly at tached to the cover 3 and registers with one of theslots 7 in the metal plate 6. The second part (numbei ed 18) is formedin and: extends diagonally through the double-wall partition 12',separating two of the vertical compartments for holding the articles orpackages, and the third part (numbered 19) is set inthe recess formed intherear wall 4 by removing its lower portion and substituting thereforthe piece of thin sheet metal 16 and is fastened to said piece 16. (SeeFig. 2.) The purpose of thus dividing the coinchutes is to enable themachine to be easily dismounted.

The ejecting mechanism is mounted inaremovableframe and consists of arock-shaft journaled in said frame, a lever or arm for rocking theshaft, a series of ejecting-arms equal in number to the compartmentsinthe magazine containing the commodity and loosely mounted on therock-shaft, a plurality of sleeves on the rock-shaft for separatproperpositions, a pair of cranks mounted upon and secured to the rock-shaft,ahorizontal bar carried bythe ci anks, and a series of coin-operatedlocking-arms carried by the ejecting-arms and adapted to lock saidejecting-arms to the horizontalbar, whereby a horizontal base 20,vertical end portions 21,v

said ejecting-arms are temporarily locked to the rocleshaft. In thepreferred form of this mechanism, asillustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, the removable frame has and a vertical front wall 22, thecurved upper portion oi-whi ch bends inwardly and over'the ejectingmechanism and servesnot-only as: a curved shield upon which the articlesor packages vended drop and then slide off into a compartment 10, butalso as a stop to-limit mg and retaining the ejecting-arms in their theforward movement of the ejecting-arms. (See Fig. 5.) This frame isformed of two pieces of sheet metal, the vertical end walls being formedby bending the extremities of the base upward at right angles and thefront wall being secured thereto by flanges which bend over the frontedges of the vertical end walls and are riveted thereto. (See Fig. 6.)This removable frame is supported within the inclosing case and somedistance above the bottom 2 by two blocks 23, (see Fig. 1,) and themagazine for holding the commodity to be vended is in turn supported bythe removable frame, the vertical end portions of said frame havingvertical earsbetweenwhich the base of the magazine fits. (See Figs. 1,2, and 5.) r

The rock-shaft 2 1 has its ends journaled in bearings in the verticalend portions 21 ofthe removable frame, and one end of said rock-shaftprojects beyond the end portion of the frame and has a rocking lever orarm-25 secured thereto by a pin.- (See Fig. 6.) This lever 25 is formedsubstantially as shown in Fig. 5 and has its outer end projectingthrough a vertical slot formed by the side wall 5 and a recess in thevertical edge of the cover The outer end of the lever has a horizontalflange 26, which is adapted to be pressed by the thumb of the purchaserto de press the lever and operate the ejecting mechanism. The lever andthe rock-shaft are re turned to theirnormal positions by a c'oi ledextension-spring'27'. (See Figs. 5'and. 6.)

The ejecting-arms 28, are, as heretofore stated, equal in number to thenumber of compartments in the magazine,- and one ejecting-arm is locatedcentrally beneath each compartment. (See Fig. 1.) These arms are looselymounted upon the rock shaft 24 and are separated the proper distancefrom each other by sleeves 29, loosely encircling said rock-shaft.

The ejecting-arms are formed of sheet metal, and each arm has a pivotalejecting block 30 pivoted to its upper-end by a pint Theseejecting-blocks are also formed of sheet metal, having top, front, andside walls,-

as shown in Fig. 8, and are retained in their normal position by atorsion-spring 31,which encircles the pivoting-pinand' has its endsbearing against the inner surface of the top wall of the ejecting-blockand the front edge of the ejecting-arm. (See Fig. 8.)

A stop to limit the upward movement of the ejecting-block is formed bybending the extremity of astrip of metal 82, projecting from one of thesidewalls of the ejectingblock so as to form a flange 33, which" engagesWith the rear edge of the ejecting-arm. (See Fig. 8.)

Two cranks 34 and 35 are secured to the rock-shaft just within thevertical end por tions of the removable frame, said cranks be ingsecured'to the shaft by pins, as shown-in- Fig. 6. A horizontal bar 36"connects the upper ends of these cranks, being secured thereto bybending its ends at right angles and riveting them to the cranks.

Each of the ejecting-arms 28 is adapted to be temporarily locked to thehorizontal bar, so as to be operated by the rocking of the shaft andeject a package by a coin-operated locking-arm. This locking-arm ispivoted to the ejecting-arm by a pin and is formed as shown in Figs. 6,7, and 9, having a forked rear portion or yoke 37 and a front portion38. This front portion is made considerably larger and heavier, so as tomaintain the forked rear portion in the tilted position shown in Fig. 7,and has a curved bottom edge and a straight top edge which terminatesnear the front end in a notch 39.

The up-and-down movement of the lock ing-arms is limited by a teat 40,projecting from about the middle of the transverse portion of the forkor yoke (see Fig. 9) and operating in a notch 41 in the rear edge of theejecting-arm. (See Figs. 5, 6, and 7.)

The locking-arm is operated to bring it into the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 7 by a suitable coin passing through the coinchuteand dropping upon the forked rear portion 37 of the arm, which straddlesa reduced portion of the part 19 of the coin-chute. (See Fig. 3.) Thispart of the coin-chute is formed substantially as shown in Figs. 3, 4,and 5, having its lower portion rectangular in cross-section and of justthe proper size so as to permit a coin of the proper denomination toslip easily through and its upper portion flaring and provided with acurved plate 42 at its upper end. The coin passes through the parts 17and 18 of the coin-chute and strikes this curved plate 42 edge on andthen is given a quarter-turn by said plate and drops vertically downthrough the chute. The lower portion of the chute is cut away at anintermediate part, as at 43 in Fig. 3, forming a reduced portion, whichis straddled by the forked rear portion or yoke 37 of the locking-arm,as shown in Fig. 5'. The edge of the coin as it passes through the chutecomes into contact with this yoke portion 37 and brings the arm into theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7.

The ejecting-arms are supported when in their normal position by ahorizontal bar 44, which has its ends bent at right angles and rivetedto the vertical end portions of the removable frame. (See Figs. 5 and6.)

The operation of the ejecting mechanism is as follows: A. coin of theproper denomination is inserted in the desired slot 7 by the intendingpurchaser, and said coin rolls down the inclined portions 17 and 18 ofthe coinchute, strikes the curved plate 42 at the upper end of the part19 of the coin-chute, is given a quarter-turn by said curved plate, asheretofore described, and then drops down 5, then slides off and dropsinto the chute and falls upon the forked rear portion 37 of thelocking-arm and moves said arm into the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 7. The purchaser now presses u on the outer end of the rockinglever an moves it into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5,thereby rocking the shaft 24. The beginning of this movement of therock-shaft has no effect on any of the ejecting-arms, as they are allloosely mounted upon the shaft, as before stated. The .movement of theshaft, however, carries forward the two cranks 34 and 35 and with themthe horizontal bar 36. As this bar moves forward it passes over the topedge of the front portion 38 of all of the locking-arms with theexception of the one which has been operated by the coin. This arm hasbeen moved into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, and thebar 36 in its forward movement seats itself in the notch 39 and carriesthe locking arm forward. As the locking-arm is attached to theparticular ejecting-arm beneath the compartment of the magazine in whichis contained the article or package de sired by the purchaser, saidejectingarm is also carried forward, and the ejecting-block at the u perend of said arm engages with the rear end of the package and pushes itout from underneath the pile.

The package falls upon the curvedshield, as

shown in Fig. the receivingchamber 1 0, whenceit is easily removed bythe purchaser. The instant the package is pushed from underneath thepile the remainder of the packages drop by gravity'until the lowest onerests upon the flanges 15. When this occurs, the lowest package strikesupon the top of the pivotal ejecting-block 30, which then as sumes theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8. As the locking-arm is carriedforward by the horizontal bar 36 the forked rear portion is drawn frombeneath the coin, which then drops through the remainder of the chuteand into a tray 45. located beneath the removable frame and is supportedupon thebase 2 of the inclosing case. (See Fig. 5.) When the packageenters the receiving-chamber, the purchaser releases the lever 25, andthe various parts of the ejecting mechanism are returned to their normalpositions by the coiled spring 27 An ingenious device is provided toobviate any chance of the purchaser failing to get a package or oflosing a coin through neglecting to move the lever 25 the properdistance or through an accident, such as the thumb slipping off the endof the lever. It can readily be seen that without a device for holdingthe cranks 34 and at any pointbetween the limits of their movement thatshould the lever 25 be accidentally released after the locking-arm hasbeen carried forward sufliciently to release the coin from the forkedportion and still not far enough to This tray is entirely push thepackage from underneath the pile the purchaser would. fail to receive apackage in return for the coin he had inserted in the machine. Toobviate this, a doubleacting ratchet-and-pawl device is provided to holdthe ejecting mechanism at any point between the limits of either itsforward or its return movement. This device is illustrated in Figs. 5and 6. The top edge of the crank 34 is notched or serrated, as shown at46 in Fig. 5, to form a ratchet, which is engaged by a double-actingpawl 47, pivoted to the adjacent vertical end portion of the removableframe. The pawl is maintained in position by a flat spring 48, one endof which is riveted to a projection on the end portion of the removableframe and the other end of which seats in a notch in the edge of thepawl. By referring to Fig. 5 it will be seen that the pawl will hold thecrank 34 at any point until said crank has been moved entirely past it,when the pawl tilts in the other direction and permits the crank toreturn to its normal position.

A novel mechanism is also provided to close the slots as soon as thecompartments controlled by said slots are empty, and so prevent theintending purchaser from inserting a coin in a particular slot fromwhich he cannot receive a package in return. This mechanism isillustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 10, and 12, to which figures referencewill be had in the following description: A cross-piece 49, of wood, isattached to the interior of the cover 3, so as to leave a space betweenit and the cover, as shown in Fig. 12, and a metal plate 50 is fastenedto this cross-piece. The upper edge of the cross-piece 49 has a numberof vertical slots 51, into which flanges 52, projecting from the metalplate 50, extend. A bell-crank is pivoted to each of these flanges 52,said bell-crank having an extension 58 at its upper end, through whichthe pivot-pin passes, and an oppositely-extend ing projection or arm 54,the end of which seats in an opening in a closing-plate 55. Thisclosing-plate is pivoted to the metal plate 6, adjacent to each slot 7,as shown in Fig. 10. The other or depending arm 56 of the bell-crank islocated in the space between the cover 3 and the cross-piece 49and hasan inwardly-projecting portion 57 formed integral with its lower end,(see Fig. 5,) said projecting portion 57 having its extremity bent atright angles, so as to form a beveled or diagonal surface 58. Theportion 57 extends through a vertical slit in the bottom edge of thecross-piece 49, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the beveled portion 58 isdirectly in front of the magazine. The bell-cranks are equal in numberto the number of coin-slots 7 and are hung so that the beveled part 58of each crank is directly in front of the compartment con taining thepackages controlled by the coinslot 7, under which said bell-crank ishung.

The usual weight 59 is placed on top of the pile of packages within eachcompartment, said weight having a teat or lug 60, which is adapted tocome into contact with the beveled portion 58 of the bellcrank theinstant the last remaining package is ejected from said compartment andmoving said bellcrank on its pivot. This movement is imparted to theclosing-plate 55, which is moved to close the coin-slot, as shown inFig. 10. By referring to Figs. 1 and 11 it will be seen that theright-hand compartment of the magazine is arranged so that the packagescontained therein will lie at right angles to the others. When this isdone, a supplementary swinging arm 61 is pivotally supported from themagazine, said arm 61 having beveled or diagonal portions 62 and63,which are moved by the teat on the weight 59 and in turn operate thebell-crank.

The operation of the machine will be readily understood from theforegoing specification and the accompanying drawings.

The main advantages of this improved vending-machine reside in thesimplicity, compactness, and cheapness of construction, the variousmechanisms being mounted so as to be removable without the aid of anytool or implement, the certainty of operation thus insuring theintending purchaser against the loss of a coin without receiving inreturn the desired package and the safeguard against depositing a coinin a slot when the compartment controlled thereby is empty.

I claim as my invention" 1. In an upright coin-controlledvendingmachine, the combination of an inclosing case having a removableside, a magazine removably mounted within the inclosing case for holdingthe articles to be vended, a sectional coin-chute having a portionattached to the inclosing case and a portion attached to the magazine,ejecting mechanism the op eration of which is controlled by the passageof a coin from the coin-chute and aframe beneath the magazine in whichthe ejecting mechanism is supported and which is separate from theinclosing case, said magazine and frame being adapted to be removed orreplaced in the inclosing case without the aid of tools upon thedetachment of the removable side from said inclosing case, substantiallyas set forth. 4

2. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of an inclosingcase, a magazine'for holding the articles to be vended, a sectionalcoin-chute having a portion attached to-the inclosing case and a portionattached to the magazine and ejecting mechanism the operation of whichis adapted to be controlled by the passage of the coin from thecoin-chute and a frame separate from the in closing case arrangedbeneath the magazine in which the ejecting mechanism is supported; themagazine-ejecting mechanism and frame being bodily removable from theinclosing case.

3. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of an inclosingcase having a removable side, a separate magazine for holding thearticles to be vended fitted in the inclosing case and bodily removabletherefrom, upon the detachment of the removable side, a coin-chute andejecting mechanism controlled by the passage of a coin through thecoinchute; the coin-chute being formed in separate sections, one ofwhich is attached to the inclosing case and another of which eX- tendsthrough the magazine, whereby the magazine may be readily removed fromthe inclosing case, substantially as set forth.

4. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of an inclosingcase consisting in part of a rear wall and a removable front wall orcover, a magazine within the inclosing case, ejecting mechanism beneaththe magazine and a sectional coin-chute having its lower end extendingin operative proximity to the ejecting mechanism and one section of saidcoin-chute being attached to the front wall or cover, another to therear wall and another extending through the magazine substantially asset forth.

5. In a coin-controlled vending-machine, the combination of an inclosingcase having a removable portion, a magazine removably mounted within theinclosing case for holding the articles to be vended, ejectingmechanism, and a coin-chute in separate sections having one sectionattached to the main portion of the inclosing case, another mounted inthe magazine and another attached to the removable portion of theinclosing case.

MELVIN E. SHAW.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. VosBURGH, JoHN A. WHITWELL.

